A South Indian Monastery

As you step into these sacred grounds, let your everyday concerns drift away. Relax into the peace; absorb the sanctity. Let it pass through you like a purifying wave. This monastery at the foot of an extinct volcano spreads out over 363 acres of gardens, groves, glens, paths, ponds and waterways. It is a secluded, cloistered home and theological seminary to two dozen dedicated monks from six nations, who live and serve here full time, striving to fulfill the dual goals of selfless service and self-transformation through ashtanga (eight-limbed) yoga, which begins with good character and piety, and leads to deep meditation and ultimate enlightenment. As you walk the grounds, you may feel the rarefied spiritual vibration created by the presence of our beloved Gurudeva, who lived here for 31 years, and by his monks decades of collective meditation, worship, one-minded harmony and mystic experiences. It was in 1970 that Gurudeva founded this center. He had traveled the world over with his Innersearch Travel-Study programs, seeking the perfect place for his spiritual headquarters. In 1968 the group stayed for three weeks at the Tropical Inn resort, as this property was called then. He had found his ideal location. Over the years the monastery developed and flourished, based on the time-tested culture of the Far East. Today, even in India, it is regarded among the worlds important Hindu holy sites. A typical day for the monks begins in the Kadavul Temple. An hour-long yogic meditation follows, guided by Bodhinatha. Anchored by this daily contemplative routine, the monks turn to their duties, which include running the temples, caring for their home and property, publishing, construction, growing their own food, hosting pilgrims and guiding the lives of seekers around the world. We gather for a vegetarian rice-and-curry lunch at 1 pm. After a brief siesta, work recommences at 3pm. At 6:30 the monastics exercise or take a walk, have a light dinner and enjoy informal time together; bedtime is 9:00. More about the monastery...